Ceremony marks completion of rail installation for Confederation Line

Local and provincial leaders joined in a ceremonial installation of a golden clip to mark the end of rail installation for the O-Train Confederation Line in Ottawa, Ontario on May 4.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson was joined by Mona Fortier, member of Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier, on behalf of the Honorable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honorable Bob Chiarelli, minister of Infrastructure and MPP for Ottawa West—Nepean, to secure the final piece of track on the O-Train Confederation Line.

Attendees boarded the train at Tremblay Station and travelled along the track and into the downtown tunnel where officials hammered rail clips to secure the final piece of rail into position. The installation took place a few hundred meters west of the Ottawa Station. The rail clip was the final of 169,940 that were used across the entire alignment.

"The excitement continues to build as we get closer to completing the city's largest infrastructure project since the building of the Rideau Canal. Today's milestone demonstrates the constant progress that is being made on this transit project, which will truly transform our city," said Mayor Watson.

The Confederation Line is a 7.7-mile, 13-station light-rail transit line that is scheduled to be handed over to the city of Ottawa later this year.

The final rail installation ceremony occurred a day after the province of Ontario committed more then US$38 million to another Ottawa light-rail project, the Trillium Line.